Energy & Science
Climate Change Is Coming for Your Oreos
Drenched fields across the U.S. make wheat a scarcer commodity.
A combine harvester collects wheat during a harvest in Kirkland, Illinois, on July 15, 2019.
Photographer: Daniel Acker/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The latest victims of climate change could be Oreos, as drenched fields across the U.S. make the wheat that’s a key ingredient a scarcer commodity.
Winter-wheat plantings fell to their lowest levels in more than a century as the grain got harder to seed. That was especially true for soft red winter wheat, with sowings in critical states like Illinois slumping 25%. And that might be bad news for snack fans—the variety is used in the flour that forms the base for crackers, biscuits and beloved goodies including Mondelez International Inc.’s Oreos and Kellogg Co.’s Cheez-Its.